The End of Innocence
by ratatatkat
Summary: Quick Thor 2011 fic, based on a old Norse myth where a young Loki has his mouth sewn shut.


hiya guys!

i'm sorry i know i haven't updated scars (or anything else for that matter) in mooonths and i apologize i'll be on it again, summer is in two weeks huzzah!

but this is just a quickie drabble if you've seen thor to tide you over until then :')

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><p>The monolithic doors of the throne room opened slowly, and from the thin sliver light scurried two small, scurrying silhouettes. "Father!" a panicked voice screamed. It belonged to one of the silhouettes, the young god Thor. His composure was shaky; his face marked with woe and alarm near on the verge of tears.<p>

Thor carried with him and struggled to support the body of his younger brother Loki. He moved in erratic staggers, depending in the little support he received from his weak arm draped across his brother's shoulders.

There was a shift in the room as Odin rose from his seat, awestruck and confused. He froze, his tired eyes agleam with concern. "…Thor?" he questioned hesitantly. "What's happened?"

The click of their small feet on the hard steps echoed throughout the sizeable room as the brothers desperately made their way towards their father. Startled palace guards rushed towards them on an act of instinct, bringing them apart gingerly.

In brisk, large steps, Odin swept toward the huddled mass, and it parted to reveal his sons, crumpled low beneath him. Loki's face lay buried into his hands as his entire body shook, himself making unsteady, muffled cries. Thor still clutched him, desperately whispering in a meek act of assuagement.

The king kneeled gingerly, bringing himself down to their level. As he assessed them, he saw it fit to not yet address Loki directly.

"Thor," he repeated firmly. "I need you to tell me what has happened."

Quite hysteric, Thor seemed to be utterly confused on the situation himself. Rapidly, he shook his head, breaking into a soft sob. "I… I… Left him alone, I shouldn't have done it, Father… I had no idea the dwarves… I didn't know, I didn't know, I'm so sorry Father, it was all my fault, Loki, i'm so sorry…"

Odin stayed unmovingly calm. In a consoling gesture, he placed his large hand on Thor's small shoulder. "It's alright, my son. Please, please step back."

Through tears, he gazed hesitantly at his father's stern eyes. He nodded slowly, released his younger brother from his grip, and stumbled backwards out of the way.

Placing his same hand now on the floor, Odin turned his attention to Loki.

"My son…" he uttered faintly. Slowly, he reached for the young god's arms. From the brush of his Father's fingers, Loki tensed and curled further, but gradually sought the comfort to rear himself upwards.

Hands still about his face, his clear, green eyes dotted with glistening tears were the first to emerge for a sad look at his father. With a final, hard knit of his brows, he dropped his arms to completely reveal that which he had been trying so desperately to conceal.

Loki's mouth had been crudely and gruesomely sewn closed, the jagged patterns of the odd thread leaving cracks and gaps through which his lips were visible. The thread was thin, looking to be unmalleable as wire with the consistency and likeness of string. Only about five errant stitches were sufficient in sealing a mouth as poor as his own.

The gathering reeled in shock. Even Odin voiced a slight gasp. For moments, they all stared in horror, save for Thor, who continued to shake his head and weep softly to himself.

Without speaking, Odin let his staff fall with a metallic clang. Using one hand, he cradled the right side of Loki's face, reaching up with his available hand and pinching the ties of the thread at the left corner of his lips. The metals and enchanted agents acting on the string dissolved; gold slowly creeping its way throughout. Tightly gripping his father's wrist, Loki strained to watch, awestruck as the thread got thinner and thinner until it finally dissolved into a meager cloud of mystic dust.

Odin's magic did not, however, rid him of his wounds. With the punctures opened, blood pooled on his upper and lower lips. Loki panickedly shoved Odin away, cupping his hands over his face once more. Glistening crimson trickled through his tiny fingers.

Loki lurched onto his feet, and in a clumsy, abrupt pitch, ran out from under his father's arms and the company of the room.

"Brother, wait!" Thor called. He faltered in moving and attempted to follow, but was immediately halted by his Father's confining arm. The guards rushed around them, taking off towards the direction in which Loki had fled.

When the room had cleared, Thor stepped cautiously away from his Father for fear he was angry with him. Odin had since resettled himself, and now directed his attention to Thor once again.

"Now," his authored voice stated. "From the beginning." The king turned himself to face his eldest son.

Mouth slightly agape, Thor began speaking quickly, stuttering and confusing himself. "Wh- we were in the forest, alone, Loki and I, we were playing and we were going to go the river, and when we went… from the bushes, we saw Sif, sitting alone on the bank. I was going to call for her, I wanted to see if she would have us for company. But Loki hushed me, he told be he was going to play a trick on her, for fun, he said, just for fun. I didn't know what he was going to do, I thought he would simply frighten her or someother, I could've stopped him, I should've…"

He choked up once more and almost began to cry again, but a reassuring look from his father comforted him. Thor took a deep breath before continuing.

"…he snuck up on her. All at once, he took out his dagger, snatched the ends of her hair, and before I could stop him, he swiped and cut it all off. It was scary, I was scared for her… her hair had vanished from Loki's hand, and that that had remained on her head… changed. It turned straight as a pin, black as night. I was sad for her. I knew she loved her hair, it was thick and gold and after he cut it… I don't know, he must have enchanted it somehow. She was so distressed, and Loki was laughing! I ran towards her, she was well crying by the time I had reached her, I was so angry. I was so mad at him for laughing at her… It upset me to see her cry… I was just so angry with Loki. I'm sorry Father, I don't know what came over me."

Thor looked away ashamedly. Odin's tone was less comforting now.

"Thor. What did you do." his stern voice demanded.

"I…" he sighed and silently cursed himself, upset with his actions. "Sif started to run away. I hadn't apologized to her yet. Loki was looking away, and I was already holding Mjölnir from the bushes. I threw it at him, and it hit him, but I don't know where, I wasn't paying attention. He called out and fell, but I was already chasing after Sif. She was too fast. I lost her in the forest, so I went back to the bank to scold Loki, but when I got there, I could not find him. But I heard a scream from the other side of the clearing… it was him, I followed the noise there and I found them… the dwarves. I was too late, I was already too late. They had done… that. I don't know why, I don't understand. They claimed he was indebted to them for her hair? He was panicking, trying to talk to me, but they bound him, they claimed he owed his head, but knowing Loki… they complained that they had been tricked, for they had not been promised 'the neck on which it rests', something like that, I don't know. I just wasn't paying attention to them, I felt that way again, the fear, the anger. I was much too… I… used Mjölnir and I saved us… but it was still so frightening. I had no idea what would become of Loki, I should have never hit him, I should never left him alone…"

Thor took shaky breaths as he tried to finally compose himself. His story was done, and he had neither the desire nor the will to say anything more.

Odin sighed a heavy, tired breath. He offered no more consolation and instead rose, recovering his staff and turning back towards his throne.

"Father…" the young god motioned delicately, prodding for a response from his Father. "Please don't blame him. I don't know why he did what he did… I don't know why I followed. Just… please do forgive us. I can tell you he's just as sorry as I am."

The king slowly ascended the steps to the throne and gingerly placed his staff across it. "I know." he assured wisely. "I already do. You mustn't forget to forgive yourself as well. This was always coming, you've nothing to fear, my son. That feeling, someday, you will know it well, and you will use it to your advantage. But for now, you are simply children, the both of you. Loki is simply beginning to lose his innocence. It's only natural for you to follow."


End file.
